Sermon nuggets Thurs Sept 11
Theme Preparing for Parting
Verses- 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV)
Presenting a Person for Us.
The path to the Father is Jesus Christ. But to affirm our faith and trust in Him Jesus also presents more of his character and being.
Jesus said, "I am the truth." How can we determine what is true and false? We have been lied to and we have been deceived by people in this world. I am not talking about just the promises of politicians, but more realistically close friends, and family members, fellow Christians and church members and have sadly disappointed us. We have heard the false testimony of clergymen and it is easy to understand the cynicism of our day and the lack of faith in people. In our day we have seen the rise of incest, the abuses of school teachers on their students, the graft among police and judges. People whom we have trusted in the past have abused their roles for personal greed and gain.
Jesus is truth. How do we know that? Jesus said if you don't believe me because of my words, then believe me because of my works. He did come and authenticate His message through the miracles that people saw and testified to 1,000s followed Him wherever he went. The miracles of Jesus were not to make our life easier or convenient, but to authenticate the messenger or the message.
The teachings of a man who teaches science is not much affected by his character. The multiplication tables are true regardless of the character of the man who teacher them. But to teach moral truth character is all important. A thief cannot teach honestly, an embittered man cannot teach love. Jesus can truthfully said, "I myself am the embodiment and personification of all that I have taught you." He is truth.
If there was any reason why we should sit up and take notice when Jesus said, "I am the truth." It was the resurrection that turned the world upside down. People cannot explain it today. The empty tomb still calls people to accept the fact that something super dramatic happened 2000 years ago that changed the disciples, changed Jerusalem, changed Rome, and changed the world.
When Jesus said He is the truth we see people who trusted Him and had their lives changed. An adulterer turned pure, a grasping greedy tax collector start giving money away to the poor., A domineering demanding personality become a servant willingly, A bitter and hate filled man was moved to love and share in gentleness. Lazarus who was dead came to life again. So when Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me shall never die", that is truth because of his character his words, the miracle, the life and the death and the resurrection of the one who spoke those words. They are trustworthy for they came of the son of God.
Jesus is the Life. "I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly" he said. We have more meaningful lives now if you are a follower and believer in Jesus Christ and secondly and more importantly you are the obtainer of eternal life forever with God. When Jason Wilkman was kidnapped and his parents didn't know whether he was alive or dead they had a faith that said, "Either Jason is with Jesus or Jesus is with Jason." Either way in faith that is life.
Death is separation of our body from our souls. Death Spiritually is also defined as separation from God. When Jesus says that He is the life, by having faith in him there is a time when our souls will be reunited with our body's by the power alone of Jesus. He is our life. And there is a reuniting of our souls with the Eternal God. There is life now and forever. No one else can promise you that , there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. If we accept God's free gift of Jesus Christ we have a place in heaven.
Pastor Dale
